Leaving
by Torrencee
Summary: Set after the events of Shugo Chara Encore. Nagihiko is leaving, will Rima be able to swallow her pride and tell him how she feels before it's too late?


Leaving

 _Spring, such a bittersweet season. It's beautiful because all the flowers bloom, but people leave. Sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worst. He was leaving, he wanted to learn more about the different types of dances around the world. I wanted him to stay, but I, Rima Mashiro would never bring myself down to tell him such thing, or would I?_

* * *

I sat down on the couch of my home, the same couch that has seen me cry while my parents yelled at each other, the same couch has seen me laugh while I watched my favorite show, and the same couch that has seen me stare at my phone in hopes that I will get a text from a certain purple haired boy, but I was stupid, how could I expect such thing, when I knew he was gonna be getting on a plane in a few minutes, hours, whatever.

Soon enough, I felt my phone vibrate. I had it on silent since I didn't have any need for anyone to bother me right now. I sighed and picked it up anyway.

"Amu,"

"Rima?"

She sounded somewhat worried, but I didn't say anything. I had an idea as to why she was calling me. I brought my knees up to my chest, hugging them tightly.

"Rima, Nagihiko is leaving today. Are you not planning on saying goodbye?"

 _Are you stupid? I would never say goodbye to that crossdresser._

"Rima,"

I didn't want to reply, but she knew me. She knew me better than I knew myself to a certain point, but It was Amu after all, and she was gonna make me listen to her because that's what Amu knew how to do best, make people listen to her.

"We both know that he means a lot to you. It's much more than the lame fighting you guys have all the time to put up that fake 'I hate you' relationship."

 _Ha, I guess Amu isn't as oblivious sometimes._

"He will be leaving for a couple years. You know that, right? I am sure that you wanna say something to him before he goes."

 _I don't have anything to say._

I felt a tear ran down my cheek. _Damn it._

"You like hi-" I hung up the call.

 _I don't._

But I was an idiot, an idiot for trying to convince myself that I didn't care anymore, that I didn't feel something special for that flirt with purple hair. How and when did he get under my skin was still a mystery to me, but he did, and I was about to lose one of the few good things that I had in my life.

 _When did this get so complicated?_

I wondered what he was up to right this second; I wanted to know what was going through his mind when he thought about leaving, when he thought about leaving _me._ The tears started to uncontrollably run down my pink cheeks due to all the sobbing.

"Damn you, Na-gi-hi-ko."

I said his name out loud the exact same way I did when I asked him to treat me to a parfait. The memory of it made me smile. I knew what I had to do, but my pride didn't allow me to just go ahead and do it. I was stubborn beyond belief.

I looked over my shoulder to find Kusukusu making funny faces. I was so invested into thinking about what I should do that I didn't even pay attention to her trying to cheer me up. She looked at me and nodded. I knew what she meant, she also knew what I had to do. Rima Mashiro was about to swallow her pride and go after him.

"I know, I know." She helped me wipe the tears down as I stood up. I was decided to go through with it. "Do you think I still have time?"

"Rima! Go, go!"

"Wait, Kusukusu I-" But I don't get to finish, she was pushing me out of the door.

"Don't think about it anymore, just go!" She giggled.

She was right. I didn't have to hesitate anymore; if I was going to go look for him, I had to do it now. I ran, I ran as fast as my legs allowed me to. I cursed myself for not being fit since I got exhausted quickly.

 _He better treat me to another parfait after this._

The closer I got to my destination the more my mind started to wonder about what I should say, about what I should do. _I don't want you to leave or if you lea-._ I sighed at my terrible mental rehearsing, then, glared at whatever was in front of me.

I arrived after what seemed like hours of running. Fortunately, the airport wasn't that far from my house, but that didn't mean that I wasn't out of breath. _You aren't getting away from me that easily purple haired crossdresser._ I smiled at my own hypocrisy. It amused me how easily I was able to insult him in my thoughts as well as making clear that I didn't want that boy to leave.

 _Where could he be? Checking in bags? Security?_ My head started hurting. I felt the tears coming back, and I didn't want him to find me this way, but what was the point if I didn't even know where he was?

"Rima?"

 _No way_

I turned around slowly.

"This isn't what you think it is," I said defensively while looking away.

I saw him smile from the corner of my eye. That guy knew why I was here, he was no idiot; although, I deep inside wished he was. He knew exactly how to piss me off, yet I was still here. Of course, he decided to play along. He wouldn't admit anything unless I spoke first.

I felt the heat go up to my cheeks, but I didn't give in completely, I could never. I stood up straight and faced him as calmly as I could, "So, I thought you were already gone."

"My flight got delayed. I got here not too long ago, actually. I got my bags checked in already though." He smiled.

"Oh,"

"I don't have to go through security, yet. I'd say, I got another hour, and since you are here, would you like to come grab some food with me?" He stood there offering me his hand. He looked happy for some reason, but I could tell something was bothering him. _Time is running, Rima,_ I thought to myself.

"A parfait or nothing." I simply said.

He smirked, "I know a place where we could grab a good parfait in here."

"I like how you know the airport by heart," I walked past him, "not bad for a crossdresser."

He sighed, but I knew he didn't take it seriously. He knew me better than that.

"Let's go, I am not going to hold your hand." I stopped to wait for him who was still behind me, "lead the way."

While we kept walking, I made an effort to avoid being asked the reason why I was there in the first place. The clock kept ticking, and I knew that the goodbye I've been trying to avoid was approaching. Still, I kept my face straight and enjoyed every second we still had left together.

I slightly regretted not holding his hand when I had the chance, but I couldn't let myself fall that low. I didn't get to complain about it for long when I suddenly heard a, "Let's go," from him that took me by surprise. I looked down at my left hand, he had grabbed it. I cursed under my breath, _such a flirt._

After walking around the airport and reaching the end of the food court, we finally arrived at the place. I would have never been able to find it if I was alone, but of course, he had to know about it. He asked for a table for two, I looked at him curiously while we followed the waitress to the table.

"A table for two? Don't you have to get through security in around 45 minutes?"

The question made him look down for a minute before responding, "I know, I just… Rima, why did you come all the way here?"

 _Because I don't want you to go._

"Amu made me," I said this as a kept a straight face and took a sip of water.

"Is that so?"

"What? Did you honestly believe I'd come here just to say goodbye to you?" I noticed the disappointment in his eyes.

The waitress took our order and brought us the parfaits to the table. Every minute that we spent in silence felt like a waste of time, but at the same time I didn't mind being quiet while having his company.

I tried the parfait only to be blown away by how amazing it was. I ordered the typical parfait with strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries, except, I added a touch of honey on top with some whipped cream while he got a banana parfait. Nagi knew what he was talking about when he said there were good parfaits in this airport. He brought me back to reality by asking me a question.

"Liked it?"

"Uh, yeah," I looked down at my favorite treat in embarrassment, "thank you."

He looked at me somewhat surprised.

"What? Thanks for treating me, again." I looked away blushing slightly.

He smiled and looked at the watch on his wrist, "It's almost time. I will go pay the bill, I'll be back."

Before I got the chance to protest, he was out of sight for what seemed an eternity. I got up from the table, looking for him but to no avail. _He couldn't have possibly left straight into security, right? So much for, I'll be back._ I ran trying to find my way to security while asking every worker I saw at the airport where that stupid place was.

"Nagihiko!" I yelled again and again.

 _Is he serious?_

Then, I saw a tall boy with long hair hiding in the crowd of people about to walk into security. As he was about to show his plane ticket to go in, I grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the line.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" I asked him, livid.

He didn't have the guts to look at me, but I could see how hurt he was, "I didn't really want to have to say goodbye. I am not good at it, I avoid it, which is why I never said goodbye to Amu when I left the first time."

I was taken back by his words, but was still annoyed that he didn't bother to say anything to me, "I-" _What am I doing?_ I looked down at my feet as I clenched my hands. _How funny, I am no better. I didn't want to come here in the first place because I didn't want to face him, to say goodbye._

"You still didn't answer my question, Rima."

"What?"

"Why are you here?"

"I told you already, Amu was the one wh-"

"The real reason." This time his voice sounded harsher, he demanded an answer.

"Oh," only thing that escaped my lips.

 _He knew, I wasn't wrong after all, but I can't, I can't just say it._

I ran. I mean, I tried to, at least.

He grabbed my hand, but I didn't dare turn around.

Without much of a warning, I was surprised by the words that came out of my own mouth, "I don't want you to go! I don't want you to leave me here. I want you to stay, but I can't say such selfish thing when you really want to improve yourself."

With the hand he had a hold of, he spun me around gracefully, only for me to end up in his arms. He held me close into a tight embrace, and I felt the tears take over. I started sobbing, I was hesitant to wrap my arms around him at first, but I did.

"I like you," I said quietly while hiding my embarrassment in his gray shirt that was pretty much soaked at this point. I had been holding tears for a while now, so letting them all out while confessing my lame feelings for him was something I might as well get over with now.

I felt him kiss the top of my head and pull away slightly, "Remember what I told you last time we were together?"

"Huh?"

"It's not tears that suit you." He said as he wiped away the tears from my eyes gently.

"Oh," I stood there with a silly smile while we looked at each other closely.

"All of the passengers from flight 5443 should be ready to board in 10 minutes." The loud speaker in the airport repeated a couple more times.

"I, unfortunately, have to do this. I can't really stay." He saw the disappointment in my eyes right away. _Of course, Nagihiko knew how to read my face._ "I promise to be back as soon as I possibly can. It might not even take two years."

"But you promise to come back, right?"

"You know how I feel about you, don't you?" He giggled, "I am forced to come back."

I smirked, I mean, I can't be all lovely dovely, "Ha, you better, cross-dressing freak."

He sighed while scratching his head, "Some things never change, do they?"

We looked at each other and started laughing.

"I have to get going, Rima."

The stupid frown came back, he was leaving. I didn't want him to, but for some reason, I felt relieved telling him the truth and being here with him was also something I was somehow cherishing.

"Good luck out there!" I said, trying to smile through the goodbye.

"Thank you."

He got closer to me and kissed my cheek, tucking in my hair behind my ear. _That flirt._ I was about to say something, but he started walking towards security once again. Except, this time he wasn't going to get stopped by me.

I moved around the area, trying to not lose track of him. But then, I did, and it sucked.

 _I will allow you to get away with it this time, Nagihiko._ I smiled.

 _I will be looking forward to your return._


End file.
